Just back from Prague and with new reviews to write :)
Just back from Prague and with new reviews to write :)
Member since:09.03.2007
Reviews:36
Members who trust:18
I am going to make no bones about this from the start – this is going to be my attempt to act as an unofficial spokesman for the Nepalese tourist industry and try and let people know that Nepal is a safe, fascinating and good value place for everyone to visit.
When I was there, I made a promise along with the other members of my group that on my return to England I would try my hardest to promote Nepal to all and sundry. What better way to do this I thought than on an Internet site, potentially read my many thousand?
There is no denying that Nepal is a country beset by problems. The vast majority of people live in poverty, there is a real problem with the cleanliness of the cities especially in Kathmandu, the government is corrupt, the traffic is appalling and begging is endemic. No one would deny this, but in my opinion the benefits of Nepal far, far outweigh any other problems, which to be fair are probably present in most third world cities.
The major problem with Nepal is its geography though. The country is entirely landlocked and the vast majority of the country is mountainous, save for the Kathmandu valley. This severely restricts the economic growth potential of the country – agriculture is out, heavy industry is limited etc. One thing that Nepal does have in abundance though is beautiful, natural scenery and this is what attracts the tourists that Nepal relies on so heavily.
Prior to 9/11 Nepal tourism was growing steadily and there is no doubt that would have continued, but with the downturn in world travel following that event Nepal suffered immensely. The tourist numbers have also dropped a lot due to the Maoist troubles and it seems that Nepal is perhaps though of as “unsafe”. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The most pervasive myth is that Nepal is quite a dangerous country where packs of rampaging Maoists are going to take your cash and perhaps put you in danger. Until last year there was a chance of being stopped on the trail and asked for money, but no tourist was ever hurt and by all accounts the transactions were friendly and professional. Since the Maoists have been accepted into the interim government all of these requests for money have ceased. There is still an obvious communist leaning in the remote villages, but at no time did I ever feel threatened.
Nepal also seems to have a low tourist crime rate. Considering the size of the city and the population I have felt a lot more threatened in much smaller cities. Nepalese people are invariably friendly and helpful – you are mote likely to get someone wanting to try out their English skills on you than try and steal your wallet.
Begging is a problem admittedly, both in Kathmandu and in the villages but none of this was ever aggressive and a firm no always got rid of unwanted attention.
Another preconception seems to be that Nepal is only for serious trekkers or mountaineers, but again that is incorrect. There is no getting away from the fact that 10 of the worlds highest mountains are in Nepal and that there are some tough treks, but you don’t have to do them, you can simply take a flight over Everest (I did it and it was amazing) or you could go to Pokhora and take in the amazing mountain views and perhaps do a shorter trek. There is also Chitwan national park where you have a chance of seeing one of the last remaining Royal Bengal tigers. For a country so small it certainly has a lot to do.
I was also surprised by how much it cost to get to Nepal. I was there for over three weeks and including everything, flights, accommodation, food etc I don’t think I spent that much more than I would have spent on an equivalent two week holiday to Spain or Greece.
Well that’s all I have to say. I don’t mean to sound like I am preaching or patronising anyone so if that is how it has come out then I apologise, but I am simply trying to live up to my promise I made when I was away!
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NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
Advantages: Make the rich only richer, while providing a fantastic holiday for the worlds wealthy. Disadvantages: Does very litte to support the locals, and even puts there life at risk
Advantages: Spectacular scenery and a wealth of opportunities for outdoor pursuits. Disadvantages: Not great if you are not into outdoor pursuits. Leeches.
salar15 13.11.2007 ·
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Review of Pokhara (Nepal)
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Apr 24th, 2007
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